The emergence of microneedles as one of the many medical and practical applications for sun-powered chemistry has been a key factor in the design of the technology. Microneedles are formed from materials such as glass or plastic and they can be very thin or very thick, depending on how thin the surface is. They are used in many medical applications, including for cosmetic and prosthetic enhancements. Many people also elect to use these microneedles to alleviate pain and discomfort. It is very important that a physician is involved when a patient decides to use microneedles to treat pain.
The first way to use sun-powered chemistry is through external applications. The concept behind using sunlight for the treatment of pain lies in the fact that carbon dioxide is one of the main components of the human body. The carbon dioxide builds up in the tissues as time passes. Pain is a function of the body built up of too much carbon dioxide. The treatment using sunlight is simple – all that is required is for the skin to be exposed to the sunlight, and the carbon dioxide is broken down into simple compounds that eliminate pain.
A second application of sun-powered chemistry is through topical applications. Some topical applications are designed to reduce redness, swelling, itching, dryness and discomfort. These applications could reduce discomfort and improve the quality of life for many people. Sunlight has been used for centuries to treat these problems, and it’s possible that further study of this technology could reduce the side effects associated with the use of sunscreen today.
Using sunlight to treat painless injections is also part of another emerging technologies, the development of microneedles. These tiny needles are able to penetrate the skin in such a way that painless injections take place. They are able to do this because they are coated with a painless cooling agent. Studies are currently being conducted in Europe to determine whether microneedles are effective in treating conditions such as arthritis.
The use of sun-powered chemistry is not only seen in topical applications. Researchers at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom are currently using sun-powered chemistry to create microneedles that will allow virtual patients to feel much more comfortable while undergoing laboratory tests. These virtual patients would have very similar symptoms to real patients, but because the properties of carbon dioxide in the air make real pains felt in the lab, the researchers needed a way to create a virtual painless injection. Through the creation of microneedles, they have found a way to create a very small amount of painless carbon dioxide, which is then absorbed by the patient.
The application of sunlight to reduce pain in medical situations around the world is only the beginning of what is possible with this emerging technology. The use of carbon dioxide is just the beginning, and researchers are now researching the effects that exposure to sunlight has on different diseases and symptoms. By researching the way that exposure to sunlight affects different bodies, they could soon be able to help people suffering from a wide variety of health conditions.
One disease in which the application of these microneedles could reduce pain is MS (migraine), a painful disorder suffered by many millions of people. MS sufferers often need to move constantly, and the pain they endure due to this makes moving difficult. When given a regular dose of minicab, a patient could reduce some of the pain associated with MS by moving around less and spending less time in uncomfortable positions. The same application could also help lower-carbon cement pressure that causes pressure on the spinal cord and is responsible for the pain associated with MS. Research into how the application of microneedles reduces pain could eventually help other fields as well. There is always more to learn in this field, and the ramifications of this technology are yet to be seen.
The final application involves how the sun’s rays are transformed into heat energy which can be transferred to reduce freezing temperatures in water. Freezing water is a very common problem in many research and developmental laboratories across the world. This problem arises when large pipes transporting water between facilities cannot be found in sufficient quantities. These pipelines would need to be converted into photovoltaic solar collectors, and since the transfer of energy from the sunlight seems to have no limit, this seems like an obvious solution. Such a system would enable researchers to use space-based technologies for free energy generation in water, thus helping researchers discover methods of producing energy cheaply and effectively.